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My Thoughts: Be A Bombshell - Sweet Cheeks

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

In the April Ipsy glam bag one of the items sent to some members was a Be A Bombshell blush in either Sweet Cheeks or Beach Please. I received Sweet Cheeks which I've used today and so here are my initial thoughts on the product. Please keep in mind that I have not used this more than twice - once as swatches and once on my own face.

First impressions of it was that the color is pretty but the compact itself is really light compared to other blushes that I have. So first things first since the compact is really bugging me and I want to get that out of the way before I discuss the actual product.

When I picked up the box the item felt very light. The compact is very light weight plastic that I fear if I dropped it not only would the blush shatter, as it did for many Ipsy subscribers who received a Be A Bombshell blush, or the that the plastic compact itself would break. I have a Laura Geller blush that has a similar type plastic compact and while the blush didn't break when I dropped it the compact did. So my fear is setting this down too hard or dropping it will break the blush and/or the compact. The blush sells for $16 on the Be A Bombshell website and honestly I'm disappointed by how cheap the quality of the compact case is.

As for the actual blush it has a silky feel to it and this is due to the talc and mineral oil in it. The primary ingredient is talc followed by mica, mineral oil, kaolin and several other ingredients. Ingredient's wise it actually contains less ingredients than my Laura Geller blush but the primary ingredient in the Laura Geller blush is mica followed by talc. So for those of you whom ingredient order is important keep that in mind.

I also know that some people avoid products with talc due to the risk of ovarian cancer or potential lung problems. Then there is the matter that there are parabens in this product which some also avoid. I know that some people will take issue with one or more of the ingredients which is why I'm showing the ingredients since the Be A Bombshell website does not list the ingredients at all. Personally I think all companies should list their ingredients on their website along with the weight of the product for consumers to make a well informed purchase. Some people get upset because they heard or read how great that product was only to find out they can't or won't use it because there's something in it they don't want to use.

The color of the blush is really pretty but it doesn't look like what the picture of Sweet Cheeks on the Be A Bombshell website depicts. The picture I'm showing here in my blog posts shows the blush to have a dusty rose with gold shimmer however on my Facebook page I originally posted a photo taken of Sweet Cheeks in full sun so the color looks more orange with gold shimmer. In person the blush looks closer to what my picture here in this blog post looks like.

I think the color is lovely and I'm happy with the color since I think it's a lovely shade of dusty pink. It can be worn as a normal blush during the day for a softer more subtle look is called for but at night pair it with a darker blush. It does go on a bit sheer which is fine for me since the color is buildable and I rather have a light hand and build the color up than apply too much and look as if I have a sunburn on my face.

Same swatch: Finger swipe on the left, applied with a brush on the right.
Left picture indoors with iPhone. Right picture outdoors with Canon.

I do have to point out I DID have problems with this blush in terms of fall out. Fall out normally applies to eye shadow but sometimes is can refer to blush as well though it's pretty uncommon since most blushes don't do what this blush does. This may be the reason why so many people who received a Be A Bombshell blush received one that was shattered.

After picking up the color with my blush brush I had to tap off the excess to prevent the color from falling all over my cheeks. I find that to be annoying since it's a waste of product since if you travel with it or put it away the left over is going to get every where. If this was a grinding blush like NYX or a loose blush like one of my Bella Pierre blushes then fine, but this is a pressed blush in a compact and so having all that loose blush is annoying to me.

There is a way to avoid this from happening and that's to use a face puff to apply the blush. A face puff will pick up the blush nicely and you can apply the blush to the area you want some where easily however if you're inexperienced with this method you can quickly and easily over apply the blush as well as apply it to the wrong area of your cheeks. An experienced hand can use a face puff to skillfully apply the blush but it takes practice to use this method and I have to admit I haven't applied blush using that method in years because it's a pain. You can also use your fingers as you would a cream blush to apply the blush then blend it out with a blush brush or face brush.

As for the retail price and weight of the product. I'm going to have to say those two things do factor into whether or not I'd purchase another Be A Bombshell product as well as the fact it's made in China and distributed by Be A Bombshell. So I'll talk about where it's made before getting into the rest of it.

Many companies do not make their own cosmetics and I have no issues with them using a private label manufacturer to acquire their products from. I'll only take issue if a company mislabels a product's use then lies about the safety of the product and later tries to pass the blame onto that supplier. The fact that this blush was made in China will have those who are 100% against animal testing not wanting to buy Be A Bombshell products because there is no way to know if the manufacturer they use tests on animals or not. So I'm just putting it out there that the products are made in China by a private label manufacturer.

As for the retail and the weight of the product. My blush from Laura Geller sells for around $31 or $32 but it weighs 0.32 oz which is almost double the weight of Be A Bombshell. This is about the same price as two blushes from Be A Bombshell would cost but I still can't get over how cheap the blush compact is and can't help but think the Be A Bombshell price is overpriced especially once you factor in that most private label manufacturers in China are really cheap to buy from in the first place and factor in the ingredient list's order with talc being the first ingredient. I know I wouldn't be opposed to getting another blush in my Ipsy bag but I doubt I would actually buy another blush directly from Be A Bombshell unless they had at least a 50% off sale.

Overall, I'm torn on the blush because the biggest thing that I like about it - the color - is outweighed by everything else. It's pretty in the pan, it looks pretty on the skin and if I don't consider anything else then I'd probably buy Beach Please since I really like the color after seeing members on MakeupTalk post their own pictures. If I factor everything else in then... I'd have to pass on purchasing another blush from Be A Bombshell.

So what are your thoughts on the Be A Bombshell blush? Did you get Sweet Cheeks or Beach Please? Did your arrive intact or broken?

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I got the Sweet Cheeks and I love it! I'm actually wearing it right now :) I will say that I also was concerned with the lightness of the packaging, but so far haven't dropped it yet. I did notice the fall out, I just blow on the brush before I use it and that takes care of that problem. I would def consider purchasing it when I run out - although I have a million blushes so don't purchase them very often.

Someone needs to do a little research before they go running their fingers. The ingredients are posted on the FAQ page and so is the fact that they do not test on animals. It is all there in black and white. A 5 year old could of found it. I happen to know this because I looked this up before I purchased from them several months ago. I love their products! If you do not have time to do a little research, I do not have time to read your blog. I have been a huge fan, but who knows what other lies you have been telling us?

I'm sorry you feel that I lied to you, prettymelb. While Be A Bombshell themselves may not animal test there just is no way to know if the manufacturers they use in China do or do not. I wrote, "The fact that this blush was made in China will have those who are 100% against animal testing not wanting to buy Be A Bombshell products because there is no way to know if the manufacturer they use tests on animals or not." Unless there is a Cruelty Free logo stamped on the back there really just is no way to know for sure and there are those who simply do not want to take the chance.

As for the ingredients, I also merely stated what's in it and that some people may not want to use the products for the reasons I stated. There are those who don't want to use products that contain talc or parabens because of that. I see people like that all the time on MakeupTalk.

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Zadidoll.com is a consumer orientated beauty blog. There are product reviews of both consumer lines and professional lines along with spoilers, sneak peeks and previews of products and beauty subscription services.